Chapter 32
by black dragons girl
Summary: have you ever wondered what happened AFTER the last chapter in To Kill a Mockingbird? Well here's a short debreifing chapter on what happened in Scout's life shortly after that fatefull October night's events...R&R please.


_Hey whoever is reading this._

_This is an extra-credit essay I did for my English class (it was to write the chapter after the last in the book) after we read To Kill a Mockingbird, I was the only one in my grade who did it so it was read to the entire class and people pursuaded me to post it. _

_(also I did this at 11 o'clock at night so it is pretty short)_

_Please let me know what you think. No flames please and thank you._

_Disclaimer: I don't own To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus, Scout, Jem, Aunt Alexandra, Calpurnia, Boo Radley or any other characters named in this chapter._

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Chapter 32**

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Jem woke up the next morning all sore, but still his know-it-all, high-and-mighty self. The first words that came out of his mouth were, "I know who done it," and the second words were, "and I fought him off with my bare hands. I saved me and Scout's life, I did." 

Atticus hushed me when I tried to tell him that it really was Boo Radley who had saved our lives. Later on when we was alone Atticus told me that Jem needed the confidence in himself to be able to heal well. I didn't understand, but still didn't say a word to Jem until months later when his arm wasn't broken any more.

**ooo**

October finished with flurries of soft snow that quickly melted as soon as it hit the dust in the road, sizzling into water and leaving puddles for me to jump in. Jem was out of bed by then but said he was too old to go jumping in snow puddles with a girl, and also that his arm would hurt him if he did.

He was really milking his injury out good. For a while Cal would do anything he asked her to just as long as he said it with a little wince and whine from the pain, but I wasn't fooled. Atticus eventually caught on one time when Jem sat on his butt all morning whimpering and making Cal run around helter-skelter then asked Atticus if he would practice football with him.

"Jem, it's real unfair for you to make poor Cal run around doing all your chores when you're well enough to do so yourself," he said, disappointment etched across his graying hairline.

"Yes sir," Jem said looking at his toes.

"Now you go apologize and ask if there's anything you can do to help her with dinner," Atticus said, looking back down at his newspaper.

Jem spent the rest of the day putting hay down on the gardens out front, pulling weeds and scrubbing all the dirty dishes until they sparkled. All the while I sat in the tire swing and watched him work, politely telling him where he had missed a weed just like a little lady should.

**ooo**

Maycomb County finally quieted down the gossip about Bob Ewell's death around Thanksgiving time. No one really believed Mr. Tate's story about him falling on his knife, yet no one else had a better explanation so they just let it be.

Aunt Alexandra left the day before Thanksgiving, she said she wanted to have it with her husband, which surprised us all but no one dared defy her wishes; she had seen us through too much for us to be able to complain. The day of her departure Jem and I stood in the front yard with Atticus to see her off. Cal was in the kitchen busily preparing the Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow. Aunty hugged Atticus tightly and whispered something in his ear before patting Jem on the head and turning to me.

"Well Miss Jean Louise, I'm real proud of you, you're going to be a fine young lady some day," she said, kissing me on the cheek. "Now I want you to have this," she said as she pulled away and handed me a pretty blue box. Opening it I found a simple silver band with little swirling etches covering its shiny surface.

"Thank you Aunty!" I exclaimed taking it out and sliding it onto my arm where it rested against the base of my hand.

"It was your mother's; she was one of my closest friends and she gave it to me right before you were born as a thank you; now I believe it should be given to you," Aunty said, getting all misty eyed and turning away to head to the car that was waiting for her.

As the car pulled out of the driveway and out of sight, I felt Atticus's hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see him smiling down tenderly, not at me, but at the bracelet as if it were my mother in flesh and blood.

**ooo**

Atticus insisted that Cal take Thanksgiving off to have it with her own family so the house was more empty then it had been in a long time. Jem and I had a relaxing day of reading and wandering around the dusty streets of Maycomb.

Miss Maudie invited us in around 11 o'clock saying she had just baked a cake and couldn't eat it by herself. We each got a slice from the big cake and it was the best thing I had tasted in a long time, sweet and rich with chocolate and sentimental value.

When dinner time finally came, Jem and I went into the house to find Atticus setting down a turkey on the table. We rarely ate such large fowl so Jem and I could hardly contain ourselves from leaping at the golden bird.

"Sit down you two," Atticus said firmly, seeing the glint in our eyes and pointing at our chairs.

Obediently we sat and stared, drooling at the scents that were wafting from the multiple containers and jars. Finally Atticus sat down with us and me and Jem began to reach for our forks.

"Aren't you forgetting to thank the Lord?" Atticus reprimanded with a gentle chuckle. "Jem, why don't you say grace for us," he added turning to Jem with an air of equal-ness.

"Yes sir." Jem said, puffing out his chest with pride and folding his hands together in front of him, which Atticus and I mimicked.

"We thank you God for happy hearts, for rain and sunny weather, thank you God for this our food and that we are together…" Jem recited slowly and deliberately.

"Also thank you for my children, and for Tom Robinson may he rest in peace, and for the Robinson family may they all feel our sorrow," Atticus added.

"Ame…" Jem started,

"And thank you for Boo Radley, who gave us our lives. I hope he's happy by himself this evening," I added, blushing slightly at how Jem was looking at me from the corner of his eyes.

After a pause of polite contemplation we all said 'Amen' in unison and with equal sincerity.

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_I hope you liked it._

_Critique is wanted and will be taken into account for revisions._

_R&R please_

_-gRaCe_


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